December 15, 2013

Cowboys preparing for Sean Lee to miss rest of season, now also nursing Sims and Durant in addition to sidelined Carter

The Cowboys are bracing for news that Sean Lee is going to miss the rest of the season, another blow to a linebacker corps that also lost Ernie Sims and Justin Durant in Sunday’s loss to the Packers.

A team source said the Cowboys expect to hear this week that Lee is finished for the season, as he undergoes further evaluation for a neck injury.

Sims left the game on the last play of the first half when he hurt his hip. Durant left in the first quarter because of a hamstring injury, the second time this year he has been lost because to a hamstring. And Bruce Carter was inactive because of a hamstring injury.

The Cowboys finished the game with rookies DeVonte Holloman and Cameron Lawrence and second-year player Justin Wilber at linebacker.

“We’re veterans, and obviously we get most of the reps throughout the whole week,” Sims said. “You throw rookies in the fire, it’s a tough situation for them.”

Holloman said it was learning on the run.

“We’re down a lot of people, so we just have to learn on the fly,” he said. “They did attack us a little bit. I don’t know. We did a good job playing our assignments. We just got to get better, keep learning, stay in the film room, keep talking to Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Justin Durant – those guys have been doing it a long time – so, just keep learning.”

Asked if the Cowboys can win without the four veteran linebackers, Sims said, “Yes. I mean, it’s a reason why guys are in the NFL. They’re athletic, they can play football. So it’s just a matter of them getting repetitions and making plays.”

Defensive coordinator Monte Sims said not to fault the backup linebackers.

“Those guys did as good as they can do,” he said. “They just haven’t had a lot of experience, you know. It’s tough. Holloman hasn’t been playing a lot. Neither has Cam. You can’t fault those guys. So we just couldn’t hold on.”